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Category: Health

I’ve been on the Paleo bandwagon for a while. From a health perspective, I think it’s the best way to eat. Ethically, I’m torn, but I’ve tried the vegetarian thing for a few months and felt terrible. I could try again and do it better but, based on my understanding, humans are meant to eat meat.

[Edit: I’ve since abandoned the Paleo bandwagon for various reasons, although my diet still consists of mostly meat and vegetables.)

The problem is, I’ve never stuck with Paleo for months on end and my meals have never been balanced. I usually fall into eating a narrow subset of meat and vegetables and, while that’s healthier than grains and sugar, I could do more.

At the end of February, I noticed I couldn’t breathe properly through my left nostril. I went to an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist and learned that, growing up, I’d broken my nose, resulting in a deviated septum. This is when the bone between your nostrils becomes crooked, restricting airflow. Many people have deviated septums but aren’t noticeably affected by them. I was one of the exceptions, with two doctors referring to the damage as severe.

To fix a deviated septum, surgery is required. I had this surgery in early April and, prior to that, had been searching for people’s experiences to get an idea of what to expect. I found some blog posts and YouTube videos, but nothing comprehensive, and that’s why I’m writing this post — to help people with deviated septums get an idea of what to expect from the process.

The post itself should answer most people’s questions but, if you have anything to ask, feel free to leave comments below.

For the longest of times, I was scared of going to the gym. I know that sounds silly to some but, having grown up as a scrawny computer geek, walking into a building full of athletic gods wasn’t my idea of a good time.

But for about as long, I wanted to lift weights. I didn’t want to remain a scrawny computer geek. I wanted to squat and bench and deadlift, and I had all the motivation in the world, but I didn’t have the mindset. Whenever I thought of going to the gym, I couldn’t help but assume:

I wouldn’t fit in.

I’d hurt myself.

I’d embarrass myself.

And basically, the gym wasn’t for me because I wasn’t “the sort of person” to train at the gym. I’d put myself in a box and I wouldn’t let myself out. If all of this sounds familiar though, fear not: I’ve found the solutions.